1 INTRODUCTION The City of Oakland, , Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the Peralta Community College District have come together to prepare a Station Area Plan for the area around the BART Station. The area encompasses Chinatown, , civic buildings of Alameda County and the City of Oakland, and the channel connecting Lake Merritt to the estuary. 1.1 Project, Goals & Objectives

There are many diverse residents, students, employees, and com- Range of Topics Covered in the Plan mercial business owners who make up the community of this area, and Chinatown functions as a citywide center for the Asian The Station Area Plan will address the following topics: community. The Station Area Plan must address the needs of the community, as well as the needs of Bay Area Rapid Tran- • Land Use, Circulation, and Urban Design sit (BART) related to ridership, and the needs of the College –– Housing Development District related to education and maximizing the use of their –– Station Access land. BART has stated that it envisions the area transitioning from its current status as an “Urban Neighborhood Station” to a –– Transportation “Regional Center” station type. Creation of a Station Area Plan –– Standards and guidelines for public and private offers an important opportunity for the community to engage development that assure visual quality in the area The Lake Merritt BART Station Entrance. The Lake Merritt Channel with Laney College in the background. in discussions about the history and future of the Station Area. • Open space, conservation and natural resources The Planning Area is located near several hubs of activity in • Infrastructure Improvements Oakland, just south of Lake Merritt. Areas nearby the Planning • Historic and Cultural Resources Area of interest include , Old Oakland, • Regulatory Framework Jack London Square, and Uptown, illustrated in Figure 1.1. • Implementation Program Key Objectives

A few of the key objectives of the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan, which will continue to develop and be refined throughout the planning process, include:

• Provide for community development that is equitable, sustainable, and healthy. • Increase the housing supply, especially housing around the BART station. Include affordable housing for low-income residents. New housing development in Chinatown. Vibrant businesses exist now in Chinatown. • Increase jobs and improve access to jobs along the transit corridor. • Provide services and retail options in the station area. • Identify additional recreation and open space opportunities.

Finally, the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan must provide an impetus for real development projects, and specific public improvements. The plan should generate interest, enthusiasm, and consensus about new development in the area and the most important public improvement projects for station access.

The Main Oakland Public Library. 12th Street currently limits access to Lake Merritt from much of the Planning Area. Reconstruction of this road will begin in Spring 2010. 1-2 | EXISTING CONDITIONS AND KEY ISSUES REPORT Figure 1.1: VD BL Lake Merritt Station W A E N W LD A Lake Merritt Station O VE E D Planning Area Context A N A V N L A A A K PRINCE ST VE MAR E AL M Planning Area COntext R C AVE M Y A S A ALFOUR A EL V B A RA TELEGRAPH 34TH ST C W AR N OOD E Trestle THUR BL T SANT AVE A AVE VE C MAND BART Station CENTRAL L Glen A A ANA BL WTHORNE WEBSTER ST R GRAND HA A VD VD A R 33RD ST V GE E RID Y G BART A LON

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INTRODUCTION | 1-3 Building on Existing Assets Alameda County Offices: A major source of employment, the County offices and County Courthouse are located primarily The Lake Merritt BART Station is located near several assets, along 12th Street. including: These resources provide a strong basis for improving connectiv- Chinatown: A vibrant commercial and residential neighbor- ity, ridership and vibrancy of the Station Area. The Planning hood, Chinatown has active streets in the commerical core, a Area includes areas within ½ mile of the Lake Merritt Station, vibrant retail trade, and acts as a cultural center for the as shown in Figure 1.2. Asian population. Chinatown makes up the majority of the resi- dential population within the Focus Area. The Planning Area includes the southern part of Lake Merritt, the Lake Merritt BART Station, and several distinct neighbor- Laney College: Laney College is the largest of the four Per- hoods around the station, including Chinatown to the west, alta Community Colleges, located adjacent to the Lake Merritt Lakeside to the north, and the Jack London neighborhood to the BART Station, the Oakland Museum of California, and the south. A Focus Area has been defined in order for work on land Lake Merritt Channel, on about 60 acres of land. The school use, zoning, and other key issues. The Focus Area was revisited serves over 13,000 students, including about 500 international from the original RFP and changed slightly based on circula- Oakland Museum. Laney College. students, and has more than 480 full-time and adjunct posi- tion and access considerations, to incorporate several County tions. Laney serves a diverse student population with a wide structures and opportunities north and west of the original range of coursework. focus area, and to remove focus from the properties along Lake- shore Avenue. Two areas are left out of the Focus Area: Lakeside The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA): Established in neighborhood because it has recently been rezoned, and the Jack 1969 as a “museum for the people,” OMCA is a leading cul- London District because it has its own regulatory system under tural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research the Estuary Plan. and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and envi- ronmental heritage. The museum is undergoing renovations, The Pacific Renaissance Plaza: The Pacific Renaissance Plaza reopening in May, 2010. OMCA is located one block north of houses the Asian Branch Public Library, the Oakland Asian the BART Station. Cultural Center which offers a range of cultural resources, the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, two levels of shops and res- The recreational amenities of Lake Merritt, the Estuary, taurants, residential units above the ground floors, and under- and the Lake Merritt Channel: Lake Merritt was declared a ground parking. A large plaza with a fountain acts as a gathering National Wildlife Refuge in 1869 and plays an important role space for residents and visitors to the area. as a recreational asset for the City. The trails around the lake are very popular for walking and jogging. The Channel, which connects Lake Merritt to the Estuary, runs through the Plan- County Courthouse. Pacific Renaissance Plaza. ning Area. Recent improvements to the Lake edge have been completed through measure DD, with additional improvements including the 12th Street reconstruction and along the Channel planned. Improvements to Estuary Park at the southern edge of the Planning Area are included in development plans for the Oak to 9th project.

The : Originally opened in 1914, as a multi-purpose arena, the Center is currently closed. The con- vention center is located adjacent to the OMCA, south of Lake Merritt and north of Laney College. The Center has historically been a venue for a variety of cultural events and entertainment, and has potential for future reuse.

Chinatown Shopping. Lake Merritt Channel. 1-4 | EXISTING CONDITIONS AND KEY ISSUES REPORT AV L Figure 1.2: O H T Lake Merritt Station 17TH ST A Lake Merritt Station BaPlasnen iMang Aprea T 17TH ST E 18TH ST E L E G

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K INTRODUCTION | 1-5 N

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U F T 1.2 Planning Process & Schedule

The planning process is anticipated to take approximately two Table 1.1: Community Meetings and Community Stakeholder Group Meetings years, concluding at the end of 2011. The planning process will Community Meetings/ Workshops PUBLIC HEARINGS include extensive community outreach, with opportunities for community involvement at all stages of the process, from the Timing Meeting Topic Timing Meeting Topic initial visioning and exploration of plan alternatives to the selec- April 14, 2010 Community goals and key issues of concern Fall 2010 Planning Commission or City Council: Present and receive feedback on land use alternatives tion of the preferred plan and review of its accompanying Envi- Neighborhood Teas: Spring, 2010 Assess goals and concerns of local residents ronmental Impact Report. There will be five Community Work- who typically do not attend large public meetings Fall 2010 Two City Board Meetings: Present and receive feedback shops over the course of the project, as well as seven Commu- on land use alternatives Fall 2010 Land Use/ Urban Design Alternatives nity Stakeholder Group meetings. Information about workshop Fall 2010 Planning Commission: EIR Scoping Session (following and meeting dates as well as project materials can be found on Winter 2011 Draft Land Use, Circulation, and Station Access Plans the Notice of Preparation) the project website at http://www.business2oakland.com/lake- Summer 2011 Draft Plan and Draft EIR Open House Spring 2011 Planning Commission: Present and receive feedback on merrittsap. Figure 1.3 shows the project schedule. Community Stakeholder Group draft land use and circulation plans Timing Meeting Topic Summer 2011 City Council, Planning Commission, Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board, and Parks and Recreation Community outreach has already been initiated through the April 29, 2009 Kickoff Meeting Lake Merritt Bart Station Area Community Engagement pro- Advisory Board: Public review of Plan and Draft EIR February 18, 2010 Review Existing Conditions Report cess, conducted by Asian Health Services, the Chinatown End of Year Planning Commission and two City Council hearings: Chamber of Commerce, and the Asian Pacific Environmental March 4, 2010 Review Market Study 2011 Present Final EIR and final Plan revisions, and receive final approval. Network (APEN) in partnership with the City of Oakland. Summer 2010 Review Draft Land Use Alternatives and Analysis This process included four public meetings, and a 19 question Fall 2010 Review Draft Land Use Plan survey which recorded the views of 1,161 residents, workers, Fall 2010 Review Draft Access Plan visitors, students, businesses and BART users about the advan- tages and problems of the Lake Merritt Bart Station Area. The process began in November 2008 and was completed with the Spring 2011 Review Draft Plan final report in June 2009. The final report summarizes the input from the community engagement and is incorporated into this report. Table 1.1 lists additional community meetings and work- shops for the Planning Process.

The Planning Team conducts a site tour of the Planning Area. Community members talk about their concerns related to the area. The consultant team shares draft work. Community outreach for the Plan.

1-6 | EXISTING CONDITIONS AND KEY ISSUES REPORT Schedule Lake Merritt BART Station Area Specic Plan Figure 1.3: Project Schedule

2009 2010 2011

Tasks Oct. Nov. Dec.Jan . Feb. Mar. Apr. May June J ulyAug . Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June J ulyAug . Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Kicko - April Website Existing Conditions 1 Existing Conditions

Images of TOD Market Analysis 2 Market Demand Analysis

Workshop “Tea & Co ees” 3 Community Outreach NEWS

Draft Land Use Alternatives 4 Land Use/Urban Design Alternatives and Anaylsis

NEWS Draft Plan Components 5 Station Area Plan Key Components

NEWS Admin Draft Plan Draft Plan Draft Station Area Plan 6 PLAN

NEWS

Notice of Preparation Admin Draft EIR Draft EIR Draft EIR Scoping Session 7 EIR

Admin Draft Zoning & GP Amendments 8 Draft Zoning and General Plan Amendment (City Sta ) PLAN

9 Public Review

Final EIR Adopted Plan

EIR N 10 Final EIR and Final Plan PLA PC CC Admin Draft Final EIR CC (2 mo after draft EIR)

PLAN NEWS Consultant E ort Interim Product Final Product Stakeholder Interviews Newsletters Community Stakeholder Group (CSG)

Community Planning Commission (PC)/ Public Grants Management Technical Advisory Executive Committee of the Meeting/Workshops City Council Meeting (CC)/ Hearing Team Committee (TAC) Community Stakeholder City Board Meetings (LPAB, PRAC) Group (CSG)

INTRODUCTION | 1-7 1.3 Environmental Review 1.4 Report Organization Document This report provides an overview of information and analysis fic and parking conditions; and gives an overview of planned related to the Planning Area in text, maps, and graphics. This developments and improvements. report will help generate Concept Plan Alternatives, the next Completing the environmental review process is also a critical step in the Plan process, and contribute to the environmental Chapter 8: Community Services, Cultural Resources, and Pub- component of the project, so that issues are resolved and devel- setting of the EIR. lic Facilities provides an inventory of libraries, community facil- opment can proceed by tiering off the environmental analysis. ities, and cultural gathering spaces; details cultural resources; Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a Chapter 1: The introduction describes the overall project goals provides an inventory of service providers; gives an overview of station area plan is considered a project, thus requiring that an and objectives, the planning process and schedule, describes the the existing schools and parks in the Planning Area; and sum- Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be completed in conjunc- requirements of environmental review, and gives an overview of marizes information on crime, safety and fire services in the tion with the plan. An EIR is a detailed analysis of the environ- the report organization. Planning Areas. mental effects of a plan or development project. The EIR iden- tifies alternatives to the proposed project and presents ways to Chapter 2: Summary of Key Topics and Possibilities describes Chapter 9: Historic Resources discusses the historic context of reduce or avoid environmental damage. Community members the focus area and sub-areas, summarizes the key topics and the Planning Area, including background history, the context can provide input at two different phases in the EIR process: in possibilities in the Planning Area. for rating historic resources in Oakland, a detailed listing of response to the Notice of Preparation (NOP), about the EIR the historic properties and districts in the Planning Area; and a topics, and to the Draft EIR itself. Chapter 3: Existing Plans and Zoning describes the regulatory review of current conditions. frameworks and guidelines that apply to the Planning Area. The chapter also summarizes guidelines to transit oriented develop- Chapter 10: Environmental Issues addresses several environ- ment and other existing plans and recent studies that are rel- mental topics, and will contribute to the environmental set- evant to the Planning Area. tings in the EIR. Topics include: hazardous materials, biologi- cal resources, geology, air quality, noise, hydrology and water Chapter 4: Land Uses describes existing land uses, housing quality, utilities and service systems, and climate change and issues related to the Planning Area, existing retail services, and greenhouse gases. major projects that have been recently completed or are pro- posed. Chapter 11: Community Health provides an overall baseline health condition of the Planning Area, including a social pro- Chapter 5: Urban Design describes of the existing urban form file, health factors and indicators, and details the health goals as and height, bulk, and intensity regulations; provides an over- identified by the community. view of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design; and gives an overview of streetscape character and conditions on key streets throughout the Planning Area.

Chapter 6: Socioeconomic Issues and Property Characteristics provides an overview of local demographics, jobs in the area, ownership patterns, underutilized sites and property conditions, growth projections, and potential opportunity sites.

Chapter 7: Circulation provides an overview of background studies and information related to transit ridership and China- town transportation studies; summarizes circulation patterns in the Planning Area; summarizes the current pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and roadway networks; summarizes the current traf-

1-8 | EXISTING CONDITIONS AND KEY ISSUES REPORT